The Broncos should pursue embattled Ravens TE Mark Andrews

The Denver Broncos need a proven tight end this offseason, and embattled Ravens veteran Mark Andrews could be the answer.

Let’s get one thing out of the way: Andrews was awful for the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

Not only did he have a killer fourth quarter fumble that stalled a promising Ravens drive, but he inexplicably dropped a two-point conversion that could’ve tied the game at 27 and sent it to overtime.

For Andrews, Baltimore fans can probably never look at him the same way again. Yet another season of Lamar Jackson’s prime is gone… like that. And if the Ravens had gotten past the Bills, they definitely could’ve won the Super Bowl this season.

Now, the question becomes if Baltimore management views Andrews the same way as the fanbase? If they feel it’s best to cut ties after not one, but two killer playoff gaffes, the Broncos should pounce.

Andrews is due to make $7 million next year, but count a whopping $16.9 million against a team’s salary cap. That’d be a lot for Denver to take on, especially as they navigate the final year of the Russell Wilson dead cap situation.

However, the Ravens would eat a little less than $6 million if they flat out cut Andrews. That’s not nothing, but it’s also not crippling. If GM Eric DeCosta and head coach John Harbaugh feel it’s best to move on, they might do just that and make Andrews a free agent.

With promising young tight end Isaiah Likely waiting in the wings, it would make sense. After all, Likely caught the touchdown to make the game against the Bills 27-25 before Andrews (quite literally) dropped the ball.

And Andrews can still play at a high level. Despite his worst quarter of the season happening at an awful time, he’s very talented. The 29-year-old caught a career-high 11 touchdowns this season. He went for 673 receiving yards on 55 catches.

For perspective, Denver’s leading receiving TE this year was Adam Trautman with just 188 yards on 13 catches. Nate Adkins did haul in three touchdowns, but only went for 114 yards. Lucas Krull caught 19 passes for 152 yards and the Broncos moved on from Greg Dulcich.

Andrews would be a massive upgrade at a critical spot. Quarterback Bo Nix was awesome in his rookie year, but he needs help at what has become a premium position in the NFL.

Again, the hope is the Ravens just flat out release Andrews, but if they don’t, head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton need to be working the phones. It’s hard to see Baltimore welcoming him back with open arms, so Payton and Paton need to offer a new beginning in Denver.

Giving up young players currently on the roster is out of the question — it’d need to be draft compensation that did the trick. Andrews is entering the final year of his deal, so maybe a fourth-round pick would get it done? That should be the Broncos starting point.

What happened to Andrews the person is a bummer. He’s got to be sick the Ravens season is over and he’s a big reason why. But Andrews the player? There’s definitely still gas left in that tank.

If Baltimore is determined to move on because of the mistakes, or because they’re enamored with Likely, no one would blame them. That’s when the decision makers in Denver need to make a move.

The Broncos have needs at tight end, running back, wide receiver and inside linebacker this offseason. Solving the TE problem with Andrews immediately frees up Payton and Paton to pursue those other positions with their top draft picks.

Mark Andrews might be a villain in Baltimore, but he could become a hero with the Broncos. A fresh start is needed for both sides — and a top target for Nix might be there for the taking.

Go get it done.